In 2009, Ledisi released her fourth album Turn Me Loose , which earned her a couple more Grammy nominations.
Ledisi's fifth album, Pieces Of Me, was released on June 14, 2011 debuting at #8 on the Billboard 200, her first entry on the top 10 of the album chart.
She and her band are from a new breed of modern soul singers (that fall into the New Organic Soul movement in the U.K.) that do not bow to the formulated 'pop' format that permeates the national charts of the U.K. and the U.S.A.
Her mother sang in an R & B band and opened her daughter's ears to classical music, then to jazz and gospel.
‘My mother is an inspiration to me because she was an R & B singer when I was growing up, and I'd watch her perform in the park by our house. I grew up on Earth, Wind and Fire. Tina Turner is my favorite’.
As a teenager Ledisi first sang in a friend’s band, but soon realised she'd have to form her own if she was going to get the creative freedom she desired.
She formed the group Anibade.
The band consisted of:
Sundra Manning (keyboards)
Cedrickke Dennis (guitar)
Nelson Braxton (bass)
Wayne Braxton (saxophone)
and Tommy Bradford on (drums)
Anibade means ‘my mother is great’ in Yoruba and also happens to be Ledisi's middle name.
The band the group performed at several nightspots including Bruno's, The Black Cat, and Rasselas, in the San Francisco area before, successfully, getting a local radio station, KMEL, to play the single ‘Take Time’, without any major label distribution.
Ledisi said, ‘We took it to other labels to try and get a deal, but we found that they didn't get it 'cause it wasn't already out there. We got frustrated with that.’
Ledisi is said to be recording a jazz record with bassist Marcus Shelby on Noir Records.
That album was due in early 2000, although the set has not yet surfaced.
Her first solo album ‘Soulsinger’, was, however, released in 2000, to critical acclaim.
The album addressed several personal issues, none more so than the track ‘Papa Loved To Love Me’, a harrowing tale of a father sexually abusing his daughter.
The track is uncomfortably close to home.
Ledisi said ‘My family heard it, though, and they said, 'Wow, you went and told everything!'. I know it's giving something away about myself, but it's a part of me. That's why people relate to a story like that.’
Eric Benét and Rahsaan Patterson recently attended her groups' concerts and they have opened for Eric Benet, D’Angelo and Angie Stone.
A second album entitled 'Feeling Orange And Sometimes Blue' was released in early 2002.
Ledisi travelled to London's Jazz Cafe in March 2003 for more gigs following a successful concert at Subterranea in the autumn of 2002.
She was supported by the Braxton Brothers along with several other performers.
I Gotta Get To You
Ledisi Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ima about to take a bus, plane, train or bike,
Just so I can have right by my side
Even if its on for one night oh-oh.
I can't help it, I'm anomic by you
I can't wait to explore, your touch your kiss where's the door?
Gotta find a way to you eh!
I gotta get to you
I'm gon get there right away
I can't wait to see you again eh!
I gotta get to
When I see you I'm not letting go
Never gonna leave you again no!
I gotta get to you
Everything is in the way so nothin's gonna change,
Nothin's gonna keep me from you
I gotta get to you
I gotta get to you
I gotta get to you
I gotta get to you
This is too much to handle and I can't breath right.
Keep lookin at my watch feelin so up-tight.
I just wanna get there lookin in your eyes even if its only for one night.
I can't imagine what with out you feels.
Everything in my body tells me this is real.
Your lips your hands almost there, gotta find a way to you.
[Chorus]
You're all I want, and I can't wait to get to you
I can't wait. I gotta get to you, I gotta get to you eh eh!
I'm gon get there right away yeh
And I can't wait to get to you oh!
When you see me I'm not lettin go never, never no!
[Chorus]
In Ledisi's song "I Gotta Get To You", she expresses her desire to be with someone who is far away. The distance is making her feel like she needs to make any means possible to reach that person. There is no way she can ignore how she feels about this person and she can't wait to explore the possibilities with him. She is willing to do anything to be with him even if it's just for one night.
Ledisi's desperation to be with him makes her anxious, and she can barely breathe. Everything around her seems pointless because all she can think about is being with him. She worries about missing out on the chance to be with him but her body tells her that what she feels for him is real. The idea of being without him is unimaginable for her, and she wishes to find a way to be with him.
The song is a catchy R&B jam that showcases Ledisi's smooth vocals while expressing her desire to be with the person she loves. It's relatable and can make anyone feel like they need to be with their significant other as soon as possible.
Line by Line Meaning
There is distance between us makin' me feel like,
The space between us is causing me to feel like I need to take any mode of transportation available just to have you by my side even if it's just for one night.
Ima about to take a bus, plane, train or bike,
I'm willing to take any form of transportation to be with you.
Just so I can have right by my side
I want you to be right by my side.
Even if its on for one night oh-oh.
Even if it's just for one night, I want to be with you.
I can't help it, I'm anomic by you
I can't resist the urge to be with you.
I can't wait to explore, your touch your kiss where's the door?
I can't wait to feel the sensation of your touch and kiss, and I want to know where the door is.
Gotta find a way to you eh!
I need to find a way to be with you.
I gotta get to you
I have to be with you.
I'm gon get there right away
I'll get to you soon.
I can't wait to see you again eh!
I'm excited to see you again.
When I see you I'm not letting go
When I see you, I don't want to let you go.
Never gonna leave you again no!
I'm never going to leave you again.
Everything is in the way so nothin's gonna change
There may be obstacles in our way, but nothing can stop me from being with you.
Nothin's gonna keep me from you
Nothing can stop me from being with you.
This is too much to handle and I can't breath right.
This situation is overwhelming and making it hard for me to breathe properly.
Keep lookin at my watch feelin so up-tight.
I keep looking at my watch and feeling anxious.
I just wanna get there lookin in your eyes even if its only for one night.
I just want to be there and look into your eyes, even if it's just for one night.
I can't imagine what with out you feels.
I can't imagine what it would feel like to be without you.
Everything in my body tells me this is real.
My whole being is convinced that this is real.
Your lips your hands almost there, gotta find a way to you.
I'm so close to feeling your lips and hands, I just need to find a way to be with you.
You're all I want, and I can't wait to get to you
You're everything I want, and I'm eager to be with you.
I'm gon get there right away yeh
I'm going to get there as soon as possible.
Oh! When you see me I'm not lettin go never, never no!
When you see me, I don't want to let you go, never again.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CARVIN HAGGINS, CHRISTOPHER BARNES, IVAN BARIAS, LEDISI YOUNG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind